Friday Flyover: Marian Catholic High School
CHICAGO HEIGHTS, Ill. (WLS) -- This week, we feature Marian Catholic High School on ABC7's Friday Flyover, celebrating high school sports!
PHOTOS: Marian Catholic High School
PHOTOS: Friday Flyover
FUN FACTS
- 2018 Commemorates the 60th Anniversary of Marian Catholic High School
- Learning Environment centered on the Four Dominican Pillars of Prayer, Study, Community, and Preaching
- Four-Year Leadership Program for all students
- Fully integrated 1:1 iPad Program
- 98 percent College Attendance
- $21.5 Million in College Scholarships among the Class of 2018's 233 Graduating Seniors
- 26 Honors and 23 AP Classes
- Three-year Engineering Program
- 80 percent of Marian Catholic's faculty hold a Master's Degree or higher
- 23 Athletic Teams, 41 Activities
Marian Catholic will host a Super Shadow Day for 8th Graders on Monday, October 8, and Open Houses on Wednesday, October 10 and Sunday, November 18. For more information, visit https://www.marianchs.com. All are welcome!
School History/Information:
Completion of Marian Catholic High School was the fulfillment of a dream for Monsignor Walter Croarkin, former pastor of St. Agnes Parish in Chicago Heights, Illinois. Seven years before the construction of the school, Monsignor Croarkin enlisted the aid of Samuel Cardinal Stritch, and organized the priests and laypeople of the area into committees to support the project. The entire community embraced his vision of a Catholic high school that would serve the families of Chicago Heights, Flossmoor, Homewood, Park Forest, Steger, Hazel Glen and Matteson.
On January 6, 1957, ground was broken for Marian Catholic at the corner of Joe Orr Road and Ashland Avenue, the site of the former Chicago Heights Airport. In September of 1958, Marian Catholic High School opened under the leadership of the Dominican Sisters of Springfield with a class of 205 freshmen, a staff of ten, and a tuition of $150 a year.
Since then, the original building has undergone several modifications including multiple classroom additions, a convent and chapel, the Monsignor Croarkin Auditorium, Spartan Stadium, a fine arts center, a second gym, the Sister M. Paul McCaughey, OP Leadership Center, a media center, and an engineering lab/Maker Space.
Today, Marian Catholic serves approximately 1000 Scholars with a Soul from over 40 communities throughout Chicago and Northwest Indiana. The Dominican Sisters of Springfield continue to sponsor Marian Catholic where students are called to seek truth, exhibit personal responsibility, cultivate their individual talents, and demonstrate ethical leadership and Christian service.
Famous alums
Sr. Mary Paul McCaughey, OP 67, Instructional Assistant Faculty and Coordinator Catholic Educational Leadership DePaul University, former Superintendent of Schools for the Chicago Archdiocese.
Dr. Mark Talamonti 74, Professor of Clinical Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and Chairman, Department of Surgery, at NorthShore University HealthSystem, was named in Chicago Magazine's Special Medical Report for January 2008 as one of the "Top Docs" in the Chicago area.
NFL players Mike Prior 81 (Green Bay Packers, Indianapolis Colts, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers), John Holecek 90 (Buffalo Bills, San Diego Chargers and Atlanta Falcons), Rodney Harrison 91 (San Diego Chargers and New England Patriots), and Dennis Kelly 07 (drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles, currently playing with the Tennessee Titans).
Television producer, screenwriter, and author Shonda Rhimes 87
Paul Pabst 87, Executive Producer of the Dan Patrick Show.
Actor Colin Egglesfield 91
DePaul Head Volleyball Coach Marie Zidek 02
NFL Tight Ends Coach for the Texas Titans, Tim Kelly04
Whitney Wandland 09, Miss Illinois USA
NBA player Tyler Ulis 14 (Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns)
Awards, accolades
- Twice recognized as a Blue Ribbon School
- Two-time recipient of National Catholic High School Honor Roll Top 50 Award
- Named as one of Illinois' Most Challenging High Schools by the Washington Post
- Voted Best of the Chicago's Southland Reader's Choice for Private School
- 37 Consecutive Marching Band State Championships in Class, 7-Time Bands of American Grand National Champion
- 17 Illinois High School Association Speech State Championships in the past 11 years.
- Women's Volleyball State Champions, 2016; Women's Basketball State Champions, 2012-13; Men's Baseball State Champions, 2012, Runner-Up 2017; Football State Champions, 1993, Wrestling State Runner-Up, 2016; Men's Basketball, 3rd Place, 2018; Individual State Champions in IHSA Track, Wrestling, and Diving.
School colors
Black and white, accented with gold
Mascot
Spartans/"Sparty"
School song
Fight on, you Marian Spartans,
Black and White and Gold,
Fight, you Marian Spartans,
True and strong and bold,
Spartans, we stand with you,
For you all the way,
Hey!, Hey!, Hey!,
On to another Spartans vic-tor-y,
V-I-C-T-O-R-Y,
Victory, Victory,
That's our cry!
Tonight's Varsity Football Game against Marist High School is at home at 6 p.m. on Dave Mattio Field in Spartan Stadium. The JV team plays Marist on Saturday at 9 a.m. at Marist.
To find out more about Marian Catholic High School, visit www.marianchs.com.
